James Bond's 25th movie: Everything you need to know

James Bond is a British franchise behemoth, boasting multiple facelifts and reboots that manage to keep it current without losing the essence of what Bond is – a smooth AF secret agent, serial shagger and international man of mystery who almost always gets his guy. And girl come to that.

The last four instalments have seen "James Blond" Daniel Craig take on the mantle of 007, and now it's been confirmed that he will return for a fifth.

This will be 25th in the James Bond series and news is rather scarce right now but we'll keep this story updated regularly to make it your one-stop shop for everything you need to know about Bond, James Bond, 25.

Bond 25 release date: patience is a virtue

The film has switched from Sony to Universal this time around, and production will begin on December 3.

We’ve been expecting you… #Bond25, Daniel Craig’s 5th outing as 007, will be directed by Academy Award-winning Danny Boyle from an original screenplay by John Hodge. Production is set to begin on 3 Dec 2018. MGM will partner with Universal Pictures to release the film worldwide pic.twitter.com/h8fVhyYhyY

The film will presumably arrive some time in 2019 – and will be released first in the UK.

Bond 25 Daniel Craig: Will he? Won't he? Yes he will!

The subject of whether Daniel Craig would return was wildly debated for what feels like FOREVER. But finally in August 2017 he announced on the late show that yes, he would be returning, saying, "We've been discussing it. We've just been trying to figure things out. I always wanted to, I needed a break."

Suggesting that Bond 25 may be his 007 swansong, he added: "I just want to go out on a high note, and I can't wait."

We're glad he's back but we must confess we hope this will be his last for various very good reasons.

For the sake of posterity, the scale of speculation began after the release of Spectre, in particular because of the slightly frazzled and much-reported comment from Daniel Craig that he'd "rather slash his wrists" than do another Bond and that it would "only be for the money".

To be fair to Craig, that was in October 2015 (and no-one is going to let him forget it). Since then he attempted to smoothed the waters a little – a year later in October 2016 he said he has "the best job in the world".

"It was the day after filming [stopped on Spectre]," he explained. "I'd been away from home for a year.

"As far as I'm concerned, I've got the best job in the world. I'll keep doing it as long as I still get a kick out of it."

Bond 25 director: Creative differences

Skyfall and Spectre director Sam Mendes has stated that he won't be returning for another stint with Craig .

Various directors denied rumours that they were in the running, including Blade Runner 2049's Denis Villeneuve and Christopher Nolan, who "categorically" ruled himself out of the running on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs of all places.

Danny Boyle was rumoured to be the favourite to take charge, and that was finally confirmed. Unfortunately, a shock announcement by the producers has seen him leave the project.

They cite "creative differences" as the reason he's leaving mere months before production was expected to begin, as cameras were expected to roll in December 2018.

In the hunt for a new director, it seems as if Joe Carnahan (The A-Team, The Grey) is ruling himself out!

"Each script process begins when we ask ourselves the question: 'What is the world afraid of now?'

"In the case of Spectre the theme was global monitoring and utilization of information. So now we are trying to find out what will be relevant in the coming years."

Photo credit: Sony Pictures

Although Wilson did not give any details as to what sort of new modern threats they were looking at, he did say they were planning to be more original with the character.

"We always want to do something new with the Bond character and see him in situations we have not seen him in the past," he continued.

"We must give the audience something new every time... often it helps to go back to Ian Fleming's novels for inspiration, whether you're talking about grades or mood."

Bond 25 cast – who'll be back?

To be fair, nothing's been officially announced so it's all rather up in the air who exactly will and won't return. Given the Craig is returning though, we'd expect him to be joined by regulars Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, Ralph Fiennes as M, Ben Whishaw as Q and Rory Kinnear as Tanner.

Christoph Waltz definitely won't be back as Blofeld, and we don't really expect a return of the recent Bond girls such as Lea Seydoux's Madeleine. With Craig on board, we were expecting further casting announcements but Danny Boyle's exit has thrown a rather large spanner into those works.